88 TELEOSTEI: HAPLOMI. — XIV. 



very evident; lower jaw black. Head 3f ; depth 3f. B. 6. D. 14. 

 A. 9. Scales 35-15. L. 4. N. C. to Conn, and Ontario, W. to 

 Iud. and Minn., in cool weedy streams and swamps. (Lat., of the 

 mud.) 



Family XXXIX. ESOCID^E. (The Pikes.) 



Body elongate, somewhat compressed, with rather small, cycloid 

 scales ; lateral line present, more or less imperfect ; head long, the 

 snout much prolonged and depressed ; mouth very large, the lower 

 jaw longest; upper jaw not protractile, most of its edge formed by 

 the maxillaries ; premaxillaries, vomer, and palatines with bands of 

 more or less movable cardiform teeth ; lower jaw with strong, un- 

 equal teeth ; tongue with small teeth ; head naked above, scaly on 

 sides; gill rakers tubercular; B. 12 to 20; D. opposite A. as in 

 other Haplomi ; C. emarginate ; P. small ; intestinal canal simple, 

 with caeca; air-bladder present. One genus, with 5 species, one 

 in the fresh waters of both continents, the rest all American. All 

 are noted for their voracity, " mere machines for the assimilation 

 of other organisms." The flesh is white, flaky, and excellent. 

 The Pike is " a solemn stately ruminant fish, lurking under the 

 shadow of a lily-pad at noon, with still, circumspect, voracious eye, 

 motionless as a jewel set in water, or moving slowly along to take 

 up its position ; darting from time to time at such unlucky fish or 

 frog or insect as comes within its range, and swallowing it at a gulp. 

 Sometimes a striped snake, bound for greener meadows across the 

 stream, ends its undulatory progress in the same receptacle." 

 (Thoreau.) 



94. ESOX (Artedi) Linnaeus. (An old name of the Pike). 



a. Cheeks and opercles entirely scaly. 

 b. Branch iostegals 12 (11 to 13): scales 105 to 108; D. 11 or 12; A. 11 or 

 12 ; snout short, the middle of eye nearer tip of lower jaw than edge of 

 opercle; species of small size. 



213. E. americanus Gmelin. Head short, 3^; snout 1\ in 

 head; eye 2f in snout. Dark green, sides with about 20 distinct 

 curved dusky bars; fins plain. Depth 5^. L. 12. Mass. to Fla., in 

 coastwise streams. 



214. E. vermiculatus Le Sueur. Little Pickerel. Head 

 longer, %\ ; snout 1\ in head ; eye 2\ in snout. Olive green ; sides 

 with many darker curved streaks, usually distinct and more or less 

 reticulate; fins mostly plain; depth 5^-. L. 12. Miss. Valley, etc., 

 very abundant in small streams and bayous. (Lat., having marks 

 like worm-tracks.) 



lb. Branchiostegals 14 to 16 ; D. 14 (developed rays) ; A. 13 ; scales 

 about 125; snout long, the middle of eye midway between chin and 

 edge of opercle. 



